One
of the original, and best, Bay Area Thrash bands formed in 1980. In the early
80's Exodus were a popular club band o the West Coast and influenced a host
of followers like Slayer and Metallica.
Although they recorded a hugely popular demo in 1982, their first album wasn't
released until 1985 and was titled "Bonded by Blood". This record
featured Paul Baloof barking out the vocals. They soon kicked him out and added
Steve Souza to take over vocal duties and they then created two of the greatest
thrash discs ever. The band had several ties to other Bay Area bands, including Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett
in their formative days. Vocalist Steve Sousa originally sang for Testament in their early days (back when they were known as Legacy). The band had
more or less broken up in the mid-nineties, but reunited with original vocalist
Paul Baloff in 1997 long enough to record the "Another Lesson In Violence"
live album. Paul Baloff passed away just before noon on February 2nd, 2002 at
the age of 41 of a massive stroke. Steve Sousa recorded two songs with Testament in 2001 and reunited with Exodus for some shows in 2002 and a new CD in 2004.
Exodus - Bonded by Blood (Century Media) 1985
1.
"Bonded by Blood" (3:49)
2. "Exodus" (4:02)
3. "And Then There Were None" (4:36)
4. "A Lesson in Violence" (3:46)
5. "Metal Command" (4:10)
6. "Piranha" (3:42)
7. "No Love" (5:04)
8. "Deliver Us to Evil" (7:02)
9. "Strike of the Beast" (3:54)
BONUS TRACKS
10. "And Then There Were None" [live] (4:52)
11. "A Lesson in Violence" [live] (3:26)
"Bonded in Blood" is a genuine thrash metal classic. Exodus were actually
one of the first thrash metal bands on the scene, although their debut was delayed
for several years. Finally released in 1985, "Bonded by Blood" featured
a ferocious batch of thrashers including such classics as "And then There
Were None" and one of the best thrash metal songs ever, "Piranha".
Honestly, I don't really care all that much for the "look how evil we are"
lyrics. Also, production here is thin as a dime. However, in 1985 we weren't
overly concerned with pristine production. It was all about speed, licks, heavy
riffs, crushing songs and attitude. "Bonded By Blood" has it all.
Soon after it's release, vocalist Paul Baloff parted ways with the band and
was replaced by former Legacy/Testament vocalist Steve Souza. Also of note, Metallica's
Kirk Hammett has some writing credits on this one as he was a band member before
Exodus signed with Combat Records.
I
own two copies of this album, the one with the red cover is from Russia, and
I have no idea what the record company is since everything is written in Russian.
It's sort of a cool collector's disc. The original cover with the silly, evil
Siamese twins is the Century Media re-release. It has been remastered and sounds
great. Both versions contain live bonus tracks with Steve Souza on vocals.
Six Feet Under and Sepultura have both recorded covers of "Piranha".
Exodus - Bonded by Baloff (bootleg)
Tracks 1-7 Live at Studio 54, NY, April 3, 1985
Tracks 8-9 Demo 1986
Tracks 11-12 Live, February 20, 1983
Track 13 Demo 1981
1. "Exodus" [live] (5:06)
2. "Deliver Us to Evil" [live] (8:03)
3. "A Lesson In Violence" [live] (4:30)
4. "And Then There Were None" [live] (4:53)
5. "Metal Command" [live] (5:08)
6. "Piranha" [live] (5:09)
7. "Strike the Beast" [live] (4:42)
8. "Seeds of Hate" [demo] (5:09)
9. "Pleasures of the Flesh" [demo] (6:28)
10. "Braindead" [demo] (4:36)
11. "Die By My Hands" [live] (4:29)
12. "Impaler" [live] (5:11)
13. "Death and Domination" [live] (3:32)
Awesome bootleg collection. The first seven songs feature the Baloff-ra of
Exodus performing live at Studio 54 in New York City. The sound quality isn't
bad for a bootleg and is most likely a soundboard recording. This CD is worth
owning for these tracks alone. Tracks 8-10 are studio, demo recordings with
Baloff on vocals. Songs 11-12 are live from 1983 with Kirk Hammet on guitar.
On the insert Kirk is listed as Kirk Hammer. The last songs is a demo track
also featuring Mr. Kirk Hammer. This CD is mandatory listening for Exodus
die-hards and thrash maniacs like myself. (Extra special thanks to Uncle
Saxon on this one!)
Exodus - Pleasures of the Flesh (Combat) 1987
1."Deranged"
(3:45)
2."'Til Death Do Us Part" (4:49)
3."Parasite" (4:54)
4."Brain Dead" (4:15)
5."Faster Than You'll Ever Live to Be" (4:25)
6."Pleasures of the Flesh" (7:35)
7."30 Seconds"-instrumental (0:39)
8."Seeds of Hate" (4:58)
9."Chemi-Kill" (5:45)
10."Choose Your Weapon" (4:52)
The
'97 Exodus reformation of nearly all the "Bonded By Blood" lineup
put a lot of focus on the original Exodus album and generally ignored and even
snubbed all the Exodus efforts made afterwards with vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza
(the former Legacy/Testament singer who replaced Paul Baloff). I am here to tell you that Exodus' best discs
are "Pleasures of the Flesh" and "Fabulous Disaster." Both
are thrash classics! Both define the very words "thrash metal!" "Pleasures
of the Flesh" is one of the best thrash discs to come out of the Bay Area
movement. "Brain Dead," ""Parasite" and "Choose
Your Weapon" have killer riffs that will cave in your skull. Steve Souza
has a cool snake like hiss that is a bit whiney, but fit the Exodus bill perfectly. |
|
Exodus - Fabulous Disaster (Combat) 1989
1."The
Last Act of Defiance" (4:40)
2."Fabulous Disaster" (4:53)
3."The Toxic Waltz" (4:48)
4."Low Rider" (2:43)
5."Cajun Hell" (6:03)
6."Like Father, Like Son" (8:35)
7."Corruption" (5:43)
8."Verbal Razors" (4:04)
9."Open Season" (3:51)
10."Overdose" (3:51)
A speed
metal/thrash masterpiece from these Bay Area thrashers. I loved this disc when
I first heard it and it still sounds awesome today. Of course "Toxic Waltz"
is one of those songs that makes you want to instantly mosh around the room. The lyrics
are much improved as well; gone are the stupid "evil" lyrics. New
themes ranging from prison riots to child abuse, with the exception of "Toxic
Waltz" which is just plain funny. "Lowrider," a War tune,
is very cool, very heavy, and pretty humorous. "Overdose" is an AC/DC tune. |
Exodus - Fabulous Disaster promo photo
Exodus - Fabulous Disaster splatter vinyl (Back in Black Records)
|
Exodus - Impact is Imminent (Capitol) 1990
1."Impact is Imminent" (4:20)
2."A.W.O.L." (5:43)
3."The Lunatic Parade" (4:12)
4."Within the Walls of Chaos" (7:44)
5."Objection Overruled" (4:34)
6."Only Death Decides" (6:05)
7."Heads They Win (Tails You Lose)" (7:41)
8."Changing of the Guard" (6:48)
9."Thrash Under Pressure" (2:41) |
|
Exodus signs to a big label
and put out another fine thrash metal opus. OK, perhaps it's not exactly up
to the standards of the last two, but "Only Death Decides" comes extremely close
to the bands' former greatness. "Thrash Under Pressure" is a fun little ditty
that makes a statement about Exodus staying true to their style. "Changing of
the Guard," a song about atrocities going on in Romania, is a cool speed metal
tune as well. Somewhere around this time Capital released
a CD single for "The Lunatic Parade" with the unreleased track "Good
Morning" as a B-side. Have never seen it but have read about it.
Exodus - Good Friendly Violent Fun (Relativity) 1991
1."Fabulous
Disaster" (5:45)
2."Chemi-Kill" (6:08)
3."'Til Death Do Us Part" (5:06)
4."Toxic Waltz" (4:39)
5."Cajun Hell" (5:55)
6."Corruption" (5:37)
7."Brain Dead" (4:31)
8."Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (4:42)
"Good Friendly
Violent Fun" is a short, fun, live EP. The sound quality isn't bad at all and
the performance is tight, which makes this one of the better live thrash offerings.
Features songs from "Fabulous Disaster" and "Pleasures of the Flesh". "Dirty
Deeds" is an AC/DC cover. For years this
one was relatively hard to find but it was re-released by Combat in 1999 making
it much easier to find. The Relativity version is the rarer of the two versions
and seems to be the version most collector's prefer.
Exodus - Force of Habit (Capitol) 1992
1."Thorn
in My Side" (4:04)
2."Me, Myself & I" (5:02)
3."Force of Habit" (4:17)
4."Bitch" (2:45)
5."Fuel for the Fire" (6:02)
6."One Foot in the Grave" (5:12)
7."Count Your Blessings" (7:28)
8."Climb Before the Fall" (5:36)
9."Architect of Pain" (10:58)
10."When it Rains it Pours" (4:18)
11."Good Day to Die" (4:46)
12."Pump it Up" (3:08)
13."Feeding Time at the Zoo" (4:32)
Everybody
I know hated this album. I'm not exactly sure why as this disc doesn't suck.
I will say that this disc pales a bit in comparison to the last three. There
are a few choice cuts on here; the ten minute epic "Architect of Pain"
and the cool Elvis Costello cover "Pump it Up." There is also a Rolling
Stones cover ("Bitch") which I don't care for as much.
Exodus
broke up shortly after the release of this album but reformed a few years later
with original singer Paul Baloof and put out a new live album called "Another
Lesson in Violence." I've not heard the whole thing, but the MP3's
I've heard actually sounded pretty darn good. For some stupid reason they focused
on songs from their first album with only a few cuts from "Pleasures of
the Flesh." Geez, they could have at least done "Toxic Waltz!"
Anyhow, I'll have to keep an eye open for that one.
Exodus - Another Lesson in Violence (Century Media) 1997
1.
"Bonded by Blood" (3:34)
2. "Exodus" (4:29)
3. "Pleasures of the Flesh" (8:15)
4. "And Then There Were None" (5:58)
5. "Piranha" (5:42)
6. "Seeds of Hate" (5:59)
7. "Deliver Us to Evil" (8:29)
8. "Brain Dead" (5:22)
9. "No Love" (6:41)
10. "Lesson in Violence" (5:57)
11. "Impaler" (6:08)
12. "Strike of the Beast" (9:18) |
Exodus 1997 |
This disc
was recorded on March 8th,1997 at a reunion show at the Trocadero, San Francisco,
CA. The band is back to it's original lineup minus original bassist Geoff Andrews
and guitarist Kirk Hammet, who was probably tied up with his buddies fighting
Napster and playing gigs at Music Awards Ceremonies. "Another Lesson in Violence"
sounds amazingly live and raw, and contains fast and furious renditions of the
band's early classics, screw-ups, dropped sticks, broken strings and all. Unfortunately,
the band mainly played material from their debut "Bonded By Blood", the only
to feature original (canned) vocalist Paul Baloff. There are also three tracks
from their excellent sophomore album "Pleasures of the Flesh" all of which were
co-written by Baloff before his abrupt dismissal. As an added bonus, the band
even resurrects a never recorded early track co-written by Hammet called "Impaler."
The sound quality is quite amazing for a live album, and certainly sounds better
than "Bonded By Blood," if not better than most of their catalogue. Baloff's
voice sounds pretty good, but I wish he would buy a dictionary and improve his
vocabulary a bit. I swear the guy can't say three words without inserting the
word "f**k." I must also say, I was disappointed not to hear "Toxic Waltz."
Perhaps some think this song is cheesy, I think it's an awesome song and certainly
an Exodus trademark. Besides this, the only thing that could have made this
disc better was an appearance by Steve Sousa. Now that would have been cool.
My digi-pak version was sent straight from Germany and contains a poster printout
of the flyer from the show.
Exodus - Tempo Of The Damned (Nuclear Blast) 2004
Exodus - Tempo Of The Damned Deluxe Edition (Nuclear Blast) 2006
1. "Scar Spangled
Banner" (6:41)
2. "War Is My Shepherd" (4:27)
3. "Blacklist" (6:17)
4. "Shroud of Urine" (4:51)
5. "Forward March" (7:39)
6. "Culling the Herd" (6:07)
7. "Sealed With a Fist" (3:36)
8. "Throwing Down" (5:01)
9. "Impaler" (5:25)
10. "Tempo of the Damned" (4:21)
BONUS TRACK (Deluxe Edition)
11. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (3:48)
DELUXE EDITION BONUS
DISC
(Live at the DNA, 2004)
1. "Opening/
.....Scar Spangled Banner" (7:25)
2. "Blacklist" (5:57)
3. "Shroud of Urine" (4:36)
4. "Froward March" (7:17)
5. "Culling the Herd" (5:58)
6. "Sealed With A Fist" (3:41)
7. "Throwing Down" (4:59)
8. "War Is My Shepherd" (4:49)
9. "Tempo of the Damned" (4:25)
10. "War Is My Shepherd" [video]
11. "Throwning Down" [video] |
|
Exodus 2004
Gary Holt
|
Well we have been awaiting
the new Exodus since the reunion with Baloff in '97. With the death of Baloff
I wasn't sure it was ever going to happen. Then we hear that Steve Souza is
back with the band. Cool! This is the Exodus I have been waiting for. The reigning
kings of thrash have returned with a mighty metal opus that is sure to please
even the most brutal metal fans. However, death metal this is not. This is pure
unadulterated thrash. We are talking buzzsaw guitars that will rip holes in
your speakers and send any thrash fan into fits of moshing. Seriously this is
one of the finest thrash platters of this decade. Souza is a welcome return
and sounds great! Thrash riffs abound, the best comparison I can come up with
is perhaps a mixture of Overkill's
"Killbox 13", Vio-lence's "Oppressing
the Masses" and "Pleasures of the Flesh", however even these don't quite describe
this CD. To those worried that there is nothing more than the full-throttle
thrash polka from the beginning to end, breath a sigh of relief for there is
some variety present here. While songs like opener "Scar Spangled Banner", "War
Is My Shepherd" and "Sealed With a Fist" are full speed assaults, others like
"Blacklist" and "Culling the Herd" are more groove-laiden not unlike some of
the more recent Overkill albums (ie.
"Thunderhead"). Souza steps out a bit on "Throwing Down" and spits out the lyrics
in a manner that almost sounds like a rap. Have to say though, I like this song.
It's not some gay gansta-crap, stealin' samples from other songs, but straight
up heavy metal with a riff that will pummel you and a killer guitar solo to
boot. "Impaler" was actually written in 1982 and has Kirk Hammett as a co-writer.
(Remember when Hammett knew how to play thrash?) Ahhh, but many don't know that
Exodus were one of the creators of thrash metal and that Metallica ripped off plenty of Exodus' riffs for their songs, including a section of this
track. Check out Metallica's "Trapped
Under Ice" and see if you don't hear Hunting's "Impaler" riff.
Despite my glowing
review of the music and vocals, there are a few negatives to this album. The
juvenile, repetative use of the same expeletive track after track comes off
as rather insipid and tiresome. I mean c'mon, Exodus aren't exactly teenagers
trying to show how tough they are by cussing, so instead they just come off
as unintelligent. Lyrically the band continues to shovel out their opinions
on such topics as war, the government, violence and religion. "Shroud of Urine"
in particular is nothing more than insults being hurled at people who hold to
Christian beliefs and is basically based on an inaccurate world-view of Christianity.
Unfortunately the lyrics to this song sort of ruin the appeal for me. Exodus
basically reverted back to scathing anti-religion lyrics that I hated so much
on "Bonded by Blood". Despite my distaste for the lyrics and expletives, the
music is fantastic as is Zetro's voice. This one will make man ymetal fans'
Top 20 list for the year.
In 2006 Nuclear Blast re-released
Exodus' comeback album with a bonus live disc. Also included on Disc one is
a cover of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt
Cheap". The live material was recorded at the DNA 2004 at the Tempo of the Damned
CD release party. The sound quality isn't great, but it's a cool collector's
disc for the Exodus completist.
Exodus - Shovel Headed Kill Machine (Nuclear Blast) 2005
1. "Raze" (4:16)
2. "Deathamphetamine" (8:31)
3. "Kharma's Messenger" (4:15)
4. "Shudder To Think" (4:48)
5. "I Am Abomination" (3:24)
6. "Altered Boy" (7:36)
7. "Going Going Gone" (4:59)
8. "Now Thy Death Day Come" (5:11)
9. ".44 Magnum Opus" (6:56)
10. "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2:56)
I was a bit worried that
this new Exodus CD would move away from the classic Exodus thrash sound. "Shovel
Headed Kill Machine" is the band's first to feature new members: Lee Altus (guitar; HEATHEN, ex-DIE KRUPPS), Paul
Bostaph (drums; ex-SLAYER, FORBIDDEN)
and new vocalist Rob Dukes. Also, legendary metal producer Andy Sneap (ex-SABBAT)
mixed this CD. Much to my delight, Exodus still sound like Exodus. "Shovel Headed
Kill Machine" may very well be Exodus' heaviest album yet, but this is still
pure thrash metal with only the slightest hint of more modern influences. However,
there isn't even a hint of metalcore present here. The CD starts off with the
intense "Raze" and the energy, aggression and speed doesn't let up til "Shudder
to Think" which sports a more mid-paced, groove that reminds me slightly of
"Black List" from "Tempo of the Damned". The aggression picks up again with
"I Am Abomination" and continues on through the closing moments of the title
track. Much of the groove found on songs like "Death List" and "Forward March"
have been completely left off in favor of speed or aggression. Probably the
biggest change in the band is in the vocals. Steve 'Zetro' Souza had a snake
like hiss mixed with a half-bark/half-growl style. New vocalist Rob Dukes is
similar to Zetro as far as style, but his tone is far deeped and less menacing.
I must confess that I miss Souza's charima, Dukes does a great job. He is aggressive
and actually fits the feel of this album quite well. What keeps the band sounding
like Exodus is Gary Holt's signature riffs and those blazing leads. Despite
the down-tuning, several of the riffs on this CD recalled the glory days of
Exodus. Lyrically the band continues down similar roads travelled on "Tempo
of the Damned". If there is one line on this album that best describes the lyrics,
its "Revel and rejoice in unbridled demolition" from "Raze." This song is actually
about destroying things with fire. As usual Exodus has something negative to
say about the church. This time around it's the Catholic church and the recent
pedophile priest scandals that are under fire. So, Exodus 2005 are different,
yet the same. I had read a review that claimed that Exodus were moving towards
metalcore. This couldn't be further from the truth. Thrash addicts should rejoice
that one of the originators of thrash is still putting out material as solid
as "Shovel Headed Kill Machine".
Exodus - The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A (Nuclear Blast) 2007
1. "A Call To Arms"
(1:33)
2. "Riot Act" (3:37)
3. "Funeral Hymn" (8:37)
4. "Children Of A Worthless God" (8:24)
5. "As It Was, As It Soon Shall Be" (5:15)
6. "The Atrocity Exhibition" (10:33)
7. "Iconoclasm" (7:54
8. "The Garden Of Bleeding" (5:49)
9. "Bedlam 123" (7:59)
The mighty thrash metal
machine that is Exodus returns with their second album with vocalist Rob Dukes
and their third since reforming. Stylistically, "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit
A" is not that far off from "Shovel Headed Kill Machine". Modern day Exodus
combine pummeling guitar riffs, thick modern production by Andy Sneap, and a
mixture of fast and mid-paced tempos to create a modern thrash metal monster.
One of the things I have always like about Exodus is that despite their aggression,
they know how to write songs that are memorable. They don't completely forsake
catchy song writing for speed or aggression. The same is true here. Some thrash
metal purists may balk at the mixture of speed and groove riffs, but quite frankly
the best thrash bands have always balanced these aspect. Bands that stick to
one over the other tend to get boring. Songs like "Funeral Hymn" while having
a more modern sound also have that classic Exodus sound as well. Those looking
for complete old school thrash may like album closer "Iconoclasm", a song driven
by Tom Hunting's relentless drum assault. In short, modern day Exodus is a juggernaut
of heavy metal and as bit more vicious, dark and heavy than they ever were in
the 1980's.
Unfortunately I find new
vocalist Rob Dukes to be a bit bland. It's not that he's a bad screamer by any
stretch. Rather, he just doesn't quite have the charisma or character of any
of the band's past vocalist. He largely sounds like any number of metalcore
singers and is very monotonous. I read several reviews that have accused Exodus
of going the way of metalcore, but frankly, Dukes aggressive barks are the only
connection. Perhaps being a long-time Exodus fan, I'm just a bit hung up on
the fact that Souza or Baloff can't be behind the mic. Many others seem to disagree
with me, so take my opinion for what it's worth. It just seems to me that Exodus'
past vocalists have helped to set them apart from the pack, while Dukes just
fits in with the pack.
The lyrics on "The Atrocity
Exhibition" are not for those who are easily offended. The lyrics are perhaps
the biggest negative for me. Dukes and Holt seem content in attacking anyone
that has any bit of faith whatsoever. The album is a full throttle attack on
any belief in God whether it be Christianity or Islam. Exodus basically brand
anyone who has any faith in God as ignorant. As such, Holt and company aren't
much different than the over-the-top, hyper-conservative, religious groups that
are out preaching and condemning anyone outside of their narrow definition of
a Christian. Lines like "Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever
is a lie" (from "Iconoclasm") and "eternal life in heaven is a fallacy" (from "The Atrocity Exhibition") are mighty bold claims to make.
It should also be noted
that buried eighteen minutes into track nine is a bluegrass version of "Bonded
By Blood". Pretty darned funny.
Exodus - Let there Be Blood (Zaentz Records) 2008
1. "Bonded By Blood" (3:36)
2. "Exodus" (4:17)
3. "And Then There Were None" (5:14)
4. "A Lesson In Violence" (3:37)
5. "Metal Command" (4:13)
6. "Piranha" (3:54)
7. "No Love" (5:49)
8. "Deliver Us To Evil" (7:44)
9. "Strike Of The Beast" (4:18)
10. "Hell's Breath" (2:50)
It has become a trend in the last decade for bands with a long history to go back and re-record old albums, or a collection of old songs with their newer line-ups. Anthrax, Twisted Sister, Saint, Testament, Loudness, Molly Hatchet, Exciter, Sodom, Grave Digger, etc. have all recorded projects like this. Likewise, Exodus have now re-recorded their classic debut "Bonded By Blood," in memory of original Paul Baloff who passed away in 2002. Of course no long-time fan will ever admit to liking the re-recording as much as the original. Those old recordings, no matter how poorly they were recorded, captured a magic moment in time. Nostalgia is certainly a hard thing to get around, especially for die-hard metal fans who fondly embrace metal's past. It seems that is certainly the case with Exodus. Fan reviews have been overwhelmingly negative, but I honestly cannot understand why. If the current line-up had recorded this album live and released it as a live tribute to Paul, would the reviews be the same? Somehow I tend to doubt it.
Exodus is now led by founder/guitarist Gary Holt, along with original drummer Tom Hunting and new members Jack Gibbons: bass, Lee Altus: guitars, and Rob Dukes: vocals. This incarnation of Exodus, which has recorded Shovel Headed Kill Machine and The Atrocity Exhibition, also recorded the classic debut. The new recording is now re-titled "Let There Be Blood", so that there will be no confusion as to which is the original and which is the tribute to their former vocalist. Despite the negative reviews, I find this re-recording to be quite enjoyable. The updated production gives new metal cohones to these old thrash songs. The recording by Andy Sneap is heavy as a freight train barreling down the tracks. Holt's rhythms are clearly heard, yet his guitar sound is vicious and biting. As well, Rob Dukes does an excellent job on vocals. He hold to the original spirit of the songs, giving a salute to Paul Baloff, yet manages to sound like himself at the same time. There's even a bonus track called "Hell’s Breath" that had never been recorded by the band before.
While the very idea of re-recording this album is blasphemy to some, this long-time fan is enjoying it much more than the past couple new albums. Here's hoping re-recording this album will inspire the band to continue down this road when they begin recording new songs in the future.
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Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition (Nuclear Blast) 2010
1. The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles (7:14)
2. Beyond The Pale (7:40)
3. Hammer And Life (3:31)
4. Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer) (7:14)
5. Downfall (6:21)
6. March Of The Sycophants (6:45)
7. Nanking (7:22)
8. Burn, Hollywood, Burn (4:05)
9. Democide (6:36)
10.The Sun Is My Destroyer (9:32)
11.A Perpetual State Of Indifference [instrumental] (2:24)
12.Good Riddance (5:30)
Three years after the release of "Exhibit A" we finally get the follow up that was promised. "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" is sonically similar to "The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A", with Andy Sneap once again producing. The songwriting, however, has stepped up a bit and there's more diversity. Frankly, I grew bored with "Atrocity Exhibit" rather quickly and found myself visiting the old classics as well as "Tempo of the Damned" when I was in the mood for some Exodus. On first listen, I wondered if "Exhibit B" might suffer the same fate, but upon further listens I began to enjoy it more and more. Things get off fairly strong start with “The Ballad Of Leonard And Charles,” a seven-minute track displaying an arsenal of machine gun riffs and shredding guitar solos from Gary Holt and Lee Altus. An equally long song "Class Dismissed (A Hate Primer)" is one of the standout cuts on the album. This song in particular is pure speed, pure aggression, pure thrash metal! "Downfall" sounds like classic Exodus to me. Had this song had a more organic production and was included on "Pleasures of the Flesh" I doubt anyone would have been the wiser. "Nanking" slows things down slightly from the usual frantic pace and offers a slightly more progressive feel, especially at it's opening. This song is also over seven minutes long. Along with the epic songs, there are a couple of shorter tracks such as “Hammer And Life,” which when you account for the intro and lengthy solos, doesn't have a huge amount of vocals, but is one of the more memorable tracks.
On of my biggest gripes about the past couple Exodus albums was vocalist Rob Dukes, who I felt lacked the charisma of Paul Baloff or Steve “Zetro” Souza. Perhaps re-recording "Bonded by Blood" helped him to fit into the band a bit better, because here I find him to be quite good. Here he offers a snarling thrash metal performance that comes closer to the Baloff and Zetro years than either Shovel Headed Kill Machine or the direct predecessor to this album. As usual, the Andy Sneap recording is crystal clear and sounds very digital.
While I do find "Exhibit B" to be a far more enjoyable listen than "Exhibit A", at 70 minutes, "Exhibit B" is a bit too long for it's own good. Despite the improved songwriting and this being Dukes best album yet, I rarely make it through the CD in one listen. At 12 tracks and 70 minutes, fatigue starts setting in with the nine plus minute “The Sun Is My Destroyer". Frankly, I think the overall album would have been stronger had it been cut down two or three tracks.
As with "Atrocity Exhibit" the lyrics are a bit grating as they are nothing more than Holt complaining about everything from religion to politics to life itself. One line in particular made me roll my eyes with disdain every time I heard it. "All I ever wanted was a little affection but no one ever gave it to me..." I must admit, I didn't really study the song to see what they were singing about but the line just comes across as winey and pathetic. (The song is actually about the Virginia Tech massacre.) I really wish that Exodus would find some new motivation for their aggression rather than "the Christian right" and their hatred of nearly everything (see "Good Riddance"). I actually had a conversation about this with the guy behind the counter at the record store I purchased this CD from. His conclusion, "this is what sells - it's what kids want to hear". I can't imagine that an Exodus album would sell any less if they sang songs about puppy dogs, as long as the music is there.
All in all, "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" is a solid thrash metal album but is a couple songs too long. In the age of digital downloads and CDs, the old saying is definitely true, sometimes less is more. Still, no one said an album has to be heard from beginning to end. Throw "Downfall" on in your car and be careful not to get a speeding ticket.
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Exodus - Blood In, Blood Out (Nuclear Blast) 2015
1. Black 13 (6:21)
2. Blood In Blood Out (3:42)
3. Collateral Damage (5:27)
4. Salt in the Wound (4:24)
5. Body Harvest (6:28)
6. BTK (6:56)
7. Wrapped in the Arms of Rage (4:30)
8. My Last Nerve (6:10)
9. Numb (6:14)
10. Honor Killings (5:42)
11. Food for the Worms (6:23)
As much as I like Exodus, their last few albums left me cold. They just didn't do much for me. It's easy to blame it on vocalist Rob Dukes, and many do. He never quite fit into the Exodus thrash sound in my opinion. When it was announced that Steve "Zetro" Souza was rejoining the band for the second (or is it third?) time, my interest was slightly peaked. However, it wasn't just Dukes that kept the "Exhibit" albums from being frequent players for me. The whole thing was just tedious and the songs, for the most part, didn't hold my interest. So I did not rush out and buy "Blood In, Blood Out" when it was first released, like I did nearly every other Exodus album since their reunion. However, I did buy tickets to the "Dark Roots of Thrash" Tour with Exodus opening for Testament. I can say without any hesitation that Exodus blew me away and in the live setting the new songs sounded as good as classics like "Bonded by Blood" and "Toxic Waltz". The band tore through new songs like "Black 13", "Salt the Wound" and the title track. Of course the very next day I ordered the CD.
"Blood In, Blood Out" is the 11th full-length studio album by US thrash metal titans Exodus. The addition of Steve "Zetro" Souza to the ranks, results in "Blood In, Blood Out" practically sounding like the natural successor to "Tempo of the Damned (2004)", as if the intermediate Rob Dukes fronted releases never existed. This album simply annihilates from front to back. After a slightly industrial sounding into, the album just keeps slamming you over the head with one vicious riff after then net. As well, "Zetro" is in fine form, delivering a lethal vocal performance. It's a test of will to play this album in my car and not put the peddle to the metal. On top of being aggressive and heavy, the songs have hooks, both musical and vocal. Some of the standout tracks for me were the infectious 'Salt in the Wound" , the steamroller thrash of the title track and "Collateral Damage" furiously speed of "Food for the Worms". As well, "Numb" features a killer groove in the middle of the song that continues to build. I kept expecting a blistering guitar solo to break out during this portions of the song but one never does.
Andy Sneap is the producer on "Blood In, Blood Out", as he has been on most post reunion albums by Exodus. The guitar sounds are tight and dirty, sounding like a barrage of machine guns. The album sounds big, powerful and metallic. It is s a clean and slightly digital production, but is still raw enough to not sound over-polished.
"Blood In, Blood Out" is a high quality release by Exodus and a welcome return to the fold for Steve "Zetro" Souza. This album should have been the follow-up to "Tempo of the Damned" and is actually an overall better album. If while listening to this album spontaneous head-banging doesn't break out, your spoon just might have fallen out of your bowl.
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